Amanda And The Freedom Quilt
by Starquilter57
Summary: Amanda makes a special gift for Spock. S/U mentioned


I Do Not Own Star Trek And I Make No Profit From It

**Amanda And The Freedom Quilt**

It had started out innocently enough. Amanda's parents had insisted that she receive a "classical" education, meaning that in addition to extensive academic training, she should also learn the "domestic arts". So she studied cooking, learning to prepare food without benefit of a replicator. Amanda also learned to garden, growing both edible and ornamental plants. She was especially fond of roses. When she was ten, her grandmother taught her how to sew.

However, not with a sewing machine. This was strictly needle and thread, by hand. Amanda hated it at first, tediously hemming a tea towel by hand. Her grandmother would insist that she rip out any uneven or too long stitches. When this project was complete, they started a new one that Amanda simply loved. She and her grandmother made a quilt from tiny hexagons, in a pattern called Grandmother's Garden.

Amanda had the quilting bug, that was certain. All through high school, college and her advanced studies, she quilted to relieve stress. She had quilted to relax during the first few trying weeks of her new job at the Vulcan Embassy. She quilted away her frustrations with Sarek during their courtship and the first few months of their marriage. She stitched her joys and sorrows into a circular wall hanging she would take to her new home on Vulcan.

Amanda carefully packed the completed wall quilt, along with the scissors and other sewing tools she had inherited from her grandmother. Then using vacuum storage bags, she packed as much of her fabric stash as she figured Sarek would allow her to get away with. He did not understand her obsession. "It is not logical to cut fabric into small pieces, only to sew it back together into larger ones."

When they finally reached Vulcan, however, the wall hanging was prominently displayed in the Great Room of their home. Could it be that Sarek was secretly proud of his wife's skills? He also had workmen reconfigure a large, sunny chamber for her use as a sewing room, complete with shelves for her fabric. She usually held her tutorial sessions in this pleasant room. Amanda often taught Federation Standard and Terran culture and customs to Vulcans who were aspiring diplomats. Her stash grew as her students brought her gifts of fabric and she added to her collection herself during travels off-planet with Sarek. Sometimes, when she had been unable to accompany him, her husband would return home from a distant world with a small hankerchief or scarf for her that appealed to him. These would often end up in a quilt.

And most importantly, when they finally had a child on the way, Amanda spent most of her days in her sewing room with her feet up. The hybrid pregnancy was a difficult one, and she had frequently felt ill. So, Amanda quilted away her anxiety, and stitched up her hopes and dreams into a baby quilt, triangles in shades of blue in honor of the son she carried. The week following Spock's birth, she started work on his "Freedom Quilt".

T'Ler, one of her students questioned her extensively about this project, considering it another aspect of Terran culture that she could study. Amanda explained that a "Freedom Quilt" was given to a son when he reached adulthood, usually for his 21st birthday. It signified that he was now in control of his own destiny, and often contained pieces of fabric from significant events in his life. Spock's quilt was being made with 6-pointed stars in different sizes, and already included a piece of the blanket he was wrapped in at his birth.

As Spock grew, so did the quilt. Amanda used pieces from the tiny denim overalls her mother sent him, the clothing he wore for his first day of school, his Kahs-wan ordeal, and his bonding ceremony, as well as fabrics collected during trips where he had traveled with his parents. She quilted away her anger at the bigotry her family faced, both on Vulcan and on Terra. She quilted away the hatred she felt toward her son's tormentors. She quilted away the sadness she felt when Spock left for Starfleet Academy, and she stitched in all her hopes and dreams for his future.

She corresponded with her son as often as possible, usually weekly. Whenever he complained that he had outgrown yet another uniform, she would ask him to send her a piece of it. Spock knew his mother collected fabrics and made quilts. He did not suspect that she was making a quilt for him.

Spock's 21st birthday had slipped by, the quilt was not quite finished. But his graduation from Starfleet Academy was fast approaching. Amanda had finished sewing the stars together, and completed the quilting. Only one thing remained undone. She needed a piece of the blue fabric used for the uniform over shirt of an officer in the Sciences division. This was the uniform Spock would wear when he was assigned to a starship. How could she get a piece of this. Surely not from her son. That might rouse his suspicions.

Suddenly she remembered something. Sarek's nephew Sirin was dating Rachel, a Starfleet Medical officer. Amanda was the only one in contact with this "black sheep of the family". Maybe Sirin's girlfriend could help out.

Amanda contacted Sirin, who contacted Rachel. Rachel's mother Esther was also a quilter, so she was sympathetic. Rachel had a blue uniform shirt she was willing to sacrifice for the cause.

Sarek and Amanda were planning to visit the Vulcan Embassy in San Francisco. Sarek knew his wife wanted to attend Spock's graduation. He would permit this, but not go himself. He had wanted Spock to attend the Vulcan Science Academy. Sarek and his son had not made peace with each other over this yet.

When she reached San Francisco, Amanda met with Rachel, who gave her a large piece of the blue shirt, complete with the Starfleet insignia. Amanda stitched this to the last block, and embroidered Spock's name and graduation date. She wrapped the completed quilt in a pillowcase made from the same fabric as the quilt's backing.

On graduation day, after the ceremony, Amanda presented her son with his gift. As she explained the meaning of the quilt and the significance of the various pieces and blocks, Spock was visibly moved. He could not believe that he had merited such an investment of his mother's time and labor. He felt truly loved. Spock also felt that his mother approved of his life and his choices. She had indeed given him his freedom, his wings. That night he slept under it for the first time.

***********************

Spock valued his "freedom quilt" so much that he feared to take it with him into space. Instead, he stored it carefully at his cousin Sirin's home. When he returned to Starfleet Academy as an instructor, he took it out of storage, and placed it on his bed.

When Vulcan was destroyed and his beloved mother killed, Spock's quilt became even more valuable to him. It was one of the few tangible, precious reminders he had of Amanda. He slept under it the night before he made his decision to stay with Starfleet, the Enterprise, and Nyota. Spock remembered that Amanda had given him his freedom, his choice. She would have been proud of his decision. He would take the quilt with him from now on.

*************************

Now they were bond-mates, Spock and Nyota Uhura, whose name literally means "star freedom". On the first night, when he took her to his quarters, he had placed the quilt on the bed.

"Spock, this is a beautiful quilt" she exclaimed. "Aren't you afraid it will become damaged?"

Spock explained that his mother had made it, and all its significance to him.

"Nyota, it is only fitting that this "freedom"quilt made up of stars is on our bed. You are my choice, my freedom star."


End file.
